


Keeping you safe

by kakarott



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Boys In Love, Budding Love, Comforting Each Other, Cute Kids, Domestic Fluff, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Heartbeats, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oneshot, Protectiveness, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, a bit onesided though from Wills side, and Cuteness, dungeons and dragons mention, during season 2 but no spoilers really, flowering love, heartbeat monitor, innocent children, pure fluff, you will be in my heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 21:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12566320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakarott/pseuds/kakarott
Summary: Will has nightmares and trouble sleeping and Mike wants to help him but don't know how.





	Keeping you safe

“Mike?” Will’s voice was weak, his face was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes. He looked tiny all tucked up in the hospital bed.

Mike blinked a few times; he was half-asleep but still, Will’s voice had woken him. He yawned and opened his eyes slowly. His back was hurting from the hard wooden chair he’d fallen asleep on.

“Y-yeah Will? What is it?” Mike whispered silently. A thin, gloomy beam from an outside lamp lit a small part of the room, otherwise, it was in complete darkness.

Joyce was sleeping on another chair a bit further from Will’s bed.

The heart monitor connected to Will’s chest beeped faster and faster. Will was scared of something.

Mike woke up completely, worry making his stomach roil. He moved his chair closer to the bedside and tried to give Will a calm look. He always tried his best to seem calm, but he hated seeing Will like this. It hurt him.

“It’s here. I-I c-can feel it. He’s here. W-watching us”, Will whispered, fear taking a grip of him. His eyes became glassy, as if Will wasn’t really there.

The monitor beeped even faster. Mike glanced at it quickly.

 **150 bpm**.

“T-try to calm down Will. I’m here. Your mom is here. Bob is here… Somewhere. You don’t h-have to be afraid. We’re here with you, and the shadow monster can’t hurt you”, Mike tried, his voice calm but he was so scared on the inside.

“N-n-no! HE IS HERE! HE IS HERE! HE CAN SEE YOU!” Will shouted and his body started trembling madly. The monitor was beeping frantically now.

“Will! Please!” Mike blubbered, tears filling his eyes and spilling over. He didn’t know what to do.

“Wh-what can I do to help you Will? Please tell me!” Mike added, tears streaming down his cheeks. He grabbed Will’s clammy and shaking hand.

Will’s eyes were as big as plates, his teeth were chattering. Tiny droplets of blood spurted out of his mouth as his teeth bit his tongue.

“HIDE MIKE!” Will wailed desperately.

Mike didn't know what to do with himself, he put his hands on his head and stared down at his knees, trying to forget everything around him.

 _I'm sorry Will_ , he thought sadly.

Joyce suddenly woke up, she hurried to Will and after minutes of trying to calm him, she succeeded. Will slumped back into the bed and fell asleep instantly. Joyce dried off the blood from his chin and let out a shaky sigh. She ensured Will was sleeping before she turned to Mike and opened her arms to him. Mike almost jumped at her and cried in her arms through the night.

\-----

Mike woke up again, the loud electronic beeps waking him. He gazed tiredly at the monitor.

**170 bpm**

“M-Mike, M-mike”, Will’s voice was cracked and his eyes were big and glassy. He was shuddering, seeming close to an episode.

Mike moved and sat down at the bedside, he grabbed Will’s both hands in his and stared at Will.

“I-I’m here Will. You don’t have to be afraid. I’m here”, he whispered calmly, swallowing the lump in his throat. He had to be strong for Will like Eleven had been strong for him.

The monitor’s beeps grew a bit slower.

“Mike… You’re here… You’re here”, a small smile crept over Will’s cracked lips. Some dried blood on his lips almost glowed in his pale face.

“Y-yes Will. I’m here and I won’t leave you. You’re never alone”, Mike said calmly and stroke Will’s hand softly. Will’s breathing grew less labored, his heart beat slower.

“M-Mike?” Will suddenly asked, his eyes returning a bit to their usual size as he looked at Mike’s face. A feeling similar to a small butterfly flapping its wings warmed Will’s stomach. He didn’t quite understand what it meant but it felt like something safe. It was nothing to be afraid of.

“Yes Will?” Mike asked, his voice soft as he smiled shyly at Will.

“Do… Can you…” Will went silent.

Mike thought he saw Will’s cheeks flush a little, probably his own imagination.

“Do you want to… sleep with me?” Will’s voice was so quiet, Mike could barely hear it.

The beeps grew faster again when Will realized how he had expressed himself.

“I-I don’t mean it that way! God, that really turned out the wrong way!” Will said, deeply embarrassed. He let go of Mike’s hands and hid underneath his blanket.

Mike chuckled softly, it almost felt like everything was normal with Will joking and all.

“I didn’t take it that way Will, don’t worry”, Mike said sweetly and pulled the blanket so he could see Will’s face.

“Would… Would you feel safer if I slept with you? Would it help you sleep? Would it help you feel less scared?” he added, his cheeks feeling a bit hot. He’d never slept beside anyone else before. Not a friend at least. His mom didn’t count.

Will nodded, a shy smile playing on his lips. “I would feel a lot safer I think… It would feel like you’d be my shield or something. Like in D&D, you’re a paladin shielding his wizard from a monster”, Will mumbled and smiled timidly.

“If it makes you feel safe and helps you sleep, I’d love to sleep with you”, Mike said earnestly, giving Will’s hand a soft caress.

Will’s face lit up. He shuffled to the side to give Mike some room in the small bed. Mike laughed nervously and crept underneath the blanket, feeling Will’s body next to his. Will chuckled nervously as well, it seemed like he had completely forgotten the shadow monster, at least for the moment. Mike was happy and relieved he had. Anything he could do to ease Will’s anxiety was good.

“Do you… want me to hold you or something? I dunno!” Mike said nervously and cleared his throat. Will smiled at him.

“It… That’d be nice”, Will whispered after a few seconds, his gaze staring into Mike’s eyes.

Mike nodded, trying to calm his now racing heart with a deep sigh as he put his arm around Will’s upper body.

Will closed his eyes contently and snuggled close to Mike’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“Thank you”, he whispered, his voice calm.

Mike held him closer and lay his chin on Will’s head. The beeps from the monitor grew slow and more rhythmically as Will started to fall asleep.

“I will protect you, nothing evil will happen to you… I’m here”, Mike whispered quietly into Will’s curls as his breathing became deeper. He was already fast asleep.

Mike closed his eyes, falling asleep to the calm beats from Will’s heartbeat.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it.
> 
> I just had to write this when I saw all the interactions between Will and Mike at the institute in season 2. I love them so much.


End file.
